Safety-bar lock for pleasure railways



Feb. 14, 192s;

R. c. lLLloNs SAFETY BAR LOCK FOR PLEASURE RAILWYS -Sheet 1 w kw Ilmw,

I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Feb. 14, 1928.

1,659,108 R. C. LLIONS SAFETY BAR LOCK -FoR PLEASURE RAILWAYS Filed May6. 1927 2 SheetS-She-2 F1 ,A uw 7i v ATTORNEY.

Patented Feb. 14, 1928.

' UNITED STATES PATENT oFF-lacs. l

t, E'LYN, 'NFS-itil' YORK.

SAFETY-BAR' LOCK FOR PLIIEIASUIRJil` RAILWAYS.

g Application filed May. 1927.` Serial No. 189,428.

'lhis invention relates to an improvement .in connection withpassenger-carryingk cars foruse on scenic railwaysand roller-coasters,

more speciiically comprehending means vby which the vusual safety barprovided with the cartoprevent the.passengorsfroin being thrown from'their seats mayfbe locked in safeguarding 'position and automaticallyreleased immediately before the carreaches vthe platform at which thepassengers are Y presumed to leave the Icar.

Bil

Cars of this type lare provided with a safety bar mounted for swingingmovement to and from the seat occupied by the passengers with thebarintended to be moved to an operative position across the seat in frontof the passengers While thegcar is-*in motion to preventthe passengersfrom being thrown from the seat and to further providea handhold 'forthe passengers `by Vwhich 'they may steady themselves during the travelof the car. As ordinarily provided, this bar, which of course must vbecapable of being Amoved to an vinoperative position in order tofacilitate the passengers 'leaving the seats at the end of the trip, is`not held in operative position in any certain mannen-so that under asudden jar or kdip of the car, the bar h'as but little eliect inpreventing the 4passengers from 'being thrown from )the seats.

It is,'therefore, the lprimary object of the positive guard against thepassengers :being thrown from the seats. f

In cars of this type as ordinarily oonstructed, there are severalpassenger-carrying seats embodied involving the use of several suolisafetybars, and a :further object of the present invention is theprovision of means by whichy all of the bars of the'car may beautomatically unlocked as the car approaches the point atwhich thepassengers are to be discharged, the locking construction *being soarranged that Jfollowing the placing of the safet-y bars in operativeposition by the ypassengers or by the attendant, all such bars of a carlmay be automatically locked at 'the will of the attendant by a simplesingle movement on' his part. n

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:Figure l is a view in side elevation showing a conventional passengercan of this type equipped With-the improved safety bar .loclifaiid'partly `in dotted outline, illustrating the means for automaticallyunlocking the safety bars and Afor holding: the locking means`inoperative jat the will yofl thev attendant.

Figure '3 'is a sectional* detail, lpartly in elevation, illustratingthe locking rod infin-vr operativeposition in 'full linesv and inoperative or. locking ,position yin dottedv lines.

Figure 45 yis a Figure l.

"Figure 5 is a perspective view showing themechanisni forcontrolling-the locking rods. l Y

Figure G isla bioltensectionalview, partly in elevation, illustratingthe relation of the locking means and safety bar, theL locking meansbeing shown in released position.'

A pleasure oar'of the typeto which the present invention isYmorejparticularlyadapted is conventionallyillustrated in AFigure lasincluding a platform "l supported ontracktraveling wvlieelsQ andprovided with seats 3 with backs and sides 4, the seatsbein'g spacedapart to provide entrance 'openings '5` by Whichthe passengers'gainaccessto the seats. As cordinarily constructed, each seat isprovidedfwith a safety bar l6 supported on frame bars 7 pivotallysupported at8 in suitable brackets securedfto ithe platfornifof the car,the arrangementbeing suehlthatlth'e safety bar may be fmovedltooperative position across-and directly in front of 'the 'passengersoccupying vthe seats 3 to serve 'as ak .handheld for such passengers andprevent spective yends 9 of the bar `Elu'hi'cli extend beyondthefrainebar 7. These bracketsor kecol-:ets =include bases ll0 by whichgthey fm'ay be secured in place and laterally text-ending Walls llof-curvcd formation, assho'wnimore particularly in FigureB, openingtoward the front to provide fwlia't Willfhereinalfter betermedsocltetsflQ into :which the`lends`9 of thebar '6 arev positionedasthe baifis,y moved 'section on line offy krods of each seat.

to an operative position. So far as the sockets are concerned, the bar6, when placed therein, is prevented from any further movenient towardthe passengers but is freely movable from the passengers.

The locking means for each safety bar G includes locking rods 13 movablevertically 'with respect to the seat portions with their free endsmovable through openings 14 in the bottoms of the sockets 12. rlhe guideopenings in the sockets may be elongated by integral thickening` of theappropriate portion of the wall 11 and the locking rods 13 are, When ininoperative position, Withdrawn to a point slightly below the bottomWall of the socket to permit free movement Vof the safety bar, and whenin locked position Vare elevated to project across the socket in ad-Vance of thesafety bar, as shown in dotted outline in Figure 8. The baris thus locked against movement in either direction, serving not only asa rigid handhold for the passengers but also as a certain means ofpreventing them from being throvvn from the seats.y

It is, of course, understood that a locking rod 13 is arranged tocooperate with each socket, that is there are two such locking rods foreach seat.

A transverse shaft 15 mounted in or beloW the platform 1 is arrangedbeneath each seatffor the direct operation of the locking The shaft 15of each seat is connected by arms or links 1G rwith the respectivelocking rods, the arms being rigid on the shaft and pivotally connectedto the lovver ends of the locking rods whereby turning of the shaftcompels the desired vertical reciprocation of the locking rods. Eachshaft 15 is, through the medium of an arm 17,

rigidly connected With the shaft, connected With an operating bar 18through the medium of ears 19 on the bar to Which the arms 17 arepivotally connected.

The bar 18 entends longitudinally of the platform and is held againstother than a reciprocating movement by guides 20. bviously.r `in thereciprocation of the bar 18, all shafts of the particular car aresimultaneously and similarly operated, hence all locking rods 18 of aparticular car are also simultaneously and similarly operated.L The bar18 is influenced in a direction to operate the shafts 15 for moving thelocking rods to operative or locked position by a spring :21 terminallyconnected to an ear 22 on the lixture and to an ear 23 on the operatingbar.V

leave the car at the end of the trip, and fromv the standpoint of aspeedy discharge of the passengers, it .is desirable that this unlockingmeans be automatic so that all of the safety bars of a car may besimultaneously unlocked to permit the passengers of the respective seatsto move the safety bars to the inoperative position to permit theirleaving the seats. In pleasure rides of this character, it is customaryto have a platform which, for the purposes here Will be called theunloadino` platform, at Which the Cars are brought at 'the end of theride for the convenient discharge of the passengers. As the carapproaches this platform, it is, of course, being brought to a stopeither by a brake or by loss of momentum and it is desirable that thesafetyl bars be unlocked as the car approaches and immediately before itreaches this unloading platform.

'.i`o secure this result, there is provided a short trip shaft 2esuitably mounted in the cr platform and extending parallel to the shafts15. rlhis shaft 24 is provided with a fixed radial arm 25 connected by alink 9.6 to a radial arm Q7 carried by one` of the shafts 15. Gbviously,in the rotation of the shaft 24k the particular shaft 15 Will'beoperated and through the connection of such shaft 15 and the remainingshafts 15 With the operating bar 18, all shafts 15 will besimultaneously and similarly operated in the movement of the shaft Q4.The shaft 2-1 is provided with a trip lever 28 rigidly connectedthereto, one arm 29 of which has a rounded terminal and the other arm 30of which has flat or foot-bearing portion 31.

Arranged alongside of the track somewhat in advance of the loadingplatform is a ramp 32 and the arm 29 of the lever 28 is arranged toengage this ramp as the car ad varices. The ramp is in such proportionsthat in this engagement it Will rock the shaft- Q41-, correspondinglyrock all shafts 15 of the ear and Withdraw the locking rods il' fromoperative positions. Thus, 'as the car reaches the unloading platformand is brought to a stop, all safety bars are free and may be svvungover to inoperative positions by the passengers in order to permit themto leave the car.

To secure the locking rods 13 in inoperative positions after theautomatic operation described, the shaft 2a is provided With a titleddisk 33 having a shoulder 34- adapted to be engaged by a spring-pressedpaivl'35 when the shaft 24 has been operated by the ramp to a positionto Withdraw the locking rods from operative positions. Thus, as the .,rapproaches the unloading platform, the ramp acts to automaticallyWithdraw all locking rods from locking or operative positions, and theparts are held in such positiens in order to permit the discharge of thepassengers and While other .passengers are again entering the car.lirhen the-car is ready to start on the nez-t trip, the attendant Ilowill` see that all safety bars l'are moved *to operative positions, thatis ythe projecting ends 9*'of such barsiare seated lin the sockets 12.Just before 'the car. fis started 'on its trip, the attendant,hylpressing upon `the free end of the pawl 35, releases the dislz 33,'

that releases the Vshaft 24, `and permits the spring 21'to move` theoperatingbar 18 longitudinally with the effect to elevate all lockingrods simultaneously, thus locking all safety bars in position to protectthe passengers. y f y l py It is, ofcourse, understood 'that after mov-ying-the locking rodsto inoperative positions, the car proceeds beyondthe *ramp SQfto the unloading platform, lso thatfthe ramp does notinterfere lwith the operative movement of `theparts for thelockingfunction. It

maybe that for some'reason it is desire'dtounlock the safety Y"barsother `t"l1a`n*through the automatic cooperation iof the ramp. Thisunlocking operation may be Veffected by thela'ttenda'nt at any lpointinthe .travel of the car by simply .exerting lpressure =on the footportion 31 of the lever 28, moving such lever and shaft'ZLt until thepawl 35 functions to lock the parts. This causes an er;u act-lyidentical operation with that of the ramp and simply provides anemergency meansby whichthe safety hars may he un cumstances the lockingrods 13 will followy the form of the sides. Furthermore,'where, as isusually the case, the sides andV back of the seats are upholstered, therods 13 will he arranged between the upholstery and the material of thesides so that, except for the projecting ends, such rods will beconcealed.

What I claim to be new is: 1. A pleasure railway car having a passengerseat, a swinging safety bar to co operate therewith, locking rods to beposi-.

tioned in advance of said bar when the latter is in operative position,a shaft for operating.

the rods, a trip shaft connected to the first mentioned shaft, a leverfor operating the trip shaft, means arranged adjacent the track foroperating the lever, and means to automatically lock the trip shaft inopera?,

tive position. Y

2. A pleasure car having a plurality of seats, a safety har foreachlseatmovable to an operative or inoperative Position relative to the seat,sockets carried by thelseat to 'receive the ends. of the safety bar,locking irods movable relative to the sockets to confine the ysafetyharsthereinlor permit such bars to movethere'from, afshaft connected ltol'the locking rods of Veach seat,

an operating bar commento and yadaptedr lto simultaneously actuate allshafts, Imeans to Ibe operated by ay ramp carried by @thetraclvs'nay5toy directly operate ones-of saidy shafts `and through theoperating'bar simultaneously `operateall of said shafts, a lock mgmeans-for holding the operating means inv a predetermined position, andkautomatic Vmeans for 'reversely koperating jthe `parts 4on the releaselofthe locking means.

3..A pleasure carhavin'g a 'plurality of passenger-.carrying seatspaisafetywbar for each seat, locking means to lhold the `safety bars in'operative positions 4relative to the seats rand including verticallyreciprocating rods, 'a :shaft` 'for operating the rods ofy each seat, ahair movablelongitudinally fo'fthe carrand connected to all .o f, saidshafts ifor` simultaneously and siinilarly `operating the shafts, aspring for operating-the bar in one direction, a trip shaft connected toone of the first mentioned shafts for operating the latter and throughthe said bar operating all of said shafts, a trackecarried ramp foroperating the trip shaft, and means for locking the trip shaft in aposition resulting from the cooperation of the ramp.

4. A pleasure car having av plurality of passenger-carrying seats, asafety har for each seat, locking meansto hold the safety bars inoperative positions relative to the seats and including verticallyreciprocating rods, a shaft for operating thejrods lofeach seat, a barmovable longitudinally of the car andy connected to all of said shaftsfor simultaneously and similarly operating the shafts, a spring foroperating the bar in one direction, a trip shafty connected to onev ofthe first mentioned shafts for operating the latter and through thesaidbar operating all of said shafts, a lever fixed to the trip shaft, aytrack-carried ramp adapted to engage andactuate the lever, and meansfor locking the trip shaft in operated position.

5. Av pleasure car having a plurality of passenger-carrying seats, asafety bar for each seat, locking means todhold the safety bars inoperative positionsrelative to the seats and including verticalireciprocating rods, a shaft for operating tie rods of each seat, a` barmovable longitudinally of the cai-*and connected to ally of said shaftsfor the latter and through the said bar operating all of said shafts, alever fixed to the trip shaft, a track-carried' ramp adapted to engageand actuate the lever, and means for ysimultaneously and similarlyoperating the' shafts, @a spring for operating the bar .inV onedirection, a trip shaft connected to one' kof the first mentioned shaftsfor operating cri locking the trip shaft in operated position, saidlever having a foot portion to permit it to be operated independently ofthe ramp.

6. A pleasure car having a plurality of passengercarrying seats, asafety barV for each seat, locking means to hold the safety bars inoperative positions relative to the seats and including verticallyreciprocating rods, a shaft for operating the rods of each seat, a barmovable longitudinally of thel car and connected to all of said shaftsfor simultaneously andsimilarly operating the Shafts,a spring foroperating the bar in one direction, a trip shaft connected to one of theirst mentioned shafts for operating the latter and through the said baroperating all of said shafts, a lever carried by said trip shaft, atrack-carried ramp to engage and operate the lever in the movement ofthe car, a shouldered disk secured on the 7. A pleasure car having aplurality of passenger-carrying seats, a` safety bar for each seat,locking means to hold the safety bars in operative positions relative tothe seats and including vertically reciprocating rods, a shaft foroperating the rods of each seat, a bar movable longitudinally of the carand connected to all of said shafts for simultaneously and similarly o}erating the shafts, a spring for operating theV bar in one direction, atrip shaft Vconnected to one of the first mentioned shafts for operatingthe latter and through the said bar operating all of said shafts, alever carried by said trip shaft, a track-carried ramp to engage andoperate the lever in the movement of the car, a shouldered disk securedon the trip shaft, and a pawl for engaging the shoulder in said disk tolock'the tripshaft in operated position, said paWl being manuallyreleasable to permit said spring to actuate the operating bar andthereby all of the locking rod carrying shafts.

ln testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

RUDOLPH C. ILLIONS. [n s]

